Monday, Monday!

After taking approximately 42 pictures, I finally got a good one of my Samuel!

Playing with crepes is MUCH more interesting than taking pictures…

This little Monkey was a hoot trying to make/wrap up his own crepes!

I can hear him smiling and laughing as I look at this. He’s such a happy boy!

The Thomas wall!

It was SUCH busy weekend for me! Saturday I was gone all day and spent less than 1 1/2 hours in my family’s presence! It was crazy and very refreshing (but I still missed them!) I went to a women’s retreat and then came back home, helped finished getting the boys dinner and in bed and left again to have milkshakes with a friend! Fun, fun!

Aside from congestion (you know the kind that hangs on for-EVER after a cold and about drives you insane?), we are all doing well. The boys are busy and cute, as usual:) Last night, I went in to tuck the boys in bed after reading time (a fairly new establishment that works wonders!) and Samuel had a big bulge in the front of his pjs. I unzipped him and 5 stuffed animals came tumbling out! He chuckled and said, “Aww! Those were my sweet babies I was going to have!”

I should not even post this glorious thought aloud but our bedtime problems are solved! The boys were being such stinkers and keeping each other awake until the break of dawn…ok, 9pm or so but STILL! And Samuel was sneaking out of bed, etc. So with the help of some great advice from a friend and research on the internet…the boys now get around 20 min of extra reading time in their beds (after we do our whole bedtime routine) with just the closet light on and some soft classical music playing. Then we come in, tuck them in (again), turn out the light, take the books and leave the music on. They talk for a little while but settle down SOOOOO much quicker and all is usually quiet shortly after we leave. Oh and I removed all toys from the room except the train table which I cover with an extra fitted sheet. They are much happier now that they are getting good sleep. And I am much happier, too:)

Samuel also now has a Thomas Wall as you can see in the pic above! He gets a Thomas sticker for the wall (courtesy of Target!!!) when he’s a good listener and stays in bed and goes to sleep quietly. He’s got quite a collection now! I alternate now, either giving him a sticker or letting him get out of bed and play at his train table while I take my shower and while Zakkai is still cooped up in his crib. He feels mighty special!

Anyhoo, we’re doing well, busy and preparing to travel home for Easter! Can’t wait to see the fam!